Hi Mudcatters, I'll try and answer your queries. I have known October Brew for a very long time. It is sung to the tune Bonny Green Garters which is a Bampton (Oxfordshire) Morris Tune so assume that is where it originated - probably at a Morris Feast (and its better than the Spotted Cow.

OCTOBER BREW (Songwriter:???)

All ye who will drink and yet stop on the brink Of the chasm twixt drunken and sober Cast out to the slums all your brandies and rums And stick fast to good honest October Your Frenchman is famed for his frothy champagne His Burgandy and his Bordeaux Sir But the staggering part of October I warrant Would send all to hell and below Sir

Your Claret and Hocks and your surgeon and box May be all very well when when your ill sir But I venture to think that old Pollypool's drink Is the brace old October brew still sir We find you for sure sat so snug in the bar A man who is often in here sir Away from your wife and the trouble and strife Come settle content with your beer sir

Musket you know very well there are 32 counties and as you missed this week's Ep'th Folk you missed the very interesting discussion regarding the Scottish referendum and if it is a yes whether all the Plantation Scots will go back to Scotland leaving the six counties for Dáil Eirinn.

Greg, the Barnes poem was originally written in Dorset dialect and I chose it as it was a favourite song of Eric Payne who founded Ep'th Folk one of my local haunts. Lots of others I could have chosen.

Have Polly Oliver from Staffordshire with the connection to the Jacobites and participation of Staffordshire regiments. Can't remember which site I picked that up from but remember reading lots about it.

It has been a fun exercise and no doubt there are many queries but I chose songs I could sing and that I liked rather than any other reason.